Hardened nano-imprinting stamp

Abstract

A hardened nano-imprinting stamp and a method of forming a hardened nano-imprinting stamp are disclosed. The hardened nano-imprinting stamp includes a plurality of silicon-based nano-sized features that have an hardened shell of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, or silicon carbide nitride. The hardened shell is made harder than the underlying silicon by a plasma carburization and/or a plasma nitridation process. During the plasma process atoms of carbon and/or nitrogen bombard and penetrate a plurality of exposed surfaces of the nano-sized features and chemically react with the silicon to form the hardened shell of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, or silicon carbide nitride. The lifetime, durability, economy, and accuracy of the resulting hardened nano-imprinting stamp are improved.

1 . A hardened nano-imprinting stamp, comprising: 
 a substrate including a base surface;    a plurality of nano-sized features connected with the substrate and extending outward of the base surface, the nano-sized features including an outer surface defining an imprint profile, and the nano-sized features are made from a material selected from the group consisting of silicon and polysilicon; and    a hardened shell extending inward of the outer surface by a predetermined depth, the hardened shell is made from a material selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, and silicon carbide nitride, and    the hardened shell is operative to maintain the imprint profile of the nano-sized features over repeated engagements of the nano-imprinting stamp with a media to be imprinted.    
     
     
         2 . The hardened nano-imprinting stamp as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises silicon.  
     
     
         3 . The hardened nano-imprinting stamp as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined depth is in a range from about 10.0 angstroms to about 300.0 angstroms.  
     
     
         4 - 20 . (canceled)